Work Groups
Northwoods Food Project Work Groups
Want to get involved in creating a sustainable local food system in Cook County?
We are launching three work groups in 2024 to make great things happen for local food production, education, and processing. Everyone is welcome to join a work group and help us get ideas into action. Read on for the goals of each work group and initial meeting information.
Want to stay in the loop on our work groups in general? Sign up for the Northwoods Food Project mailing list.
Local Food Production Work Group
Our goals for 2024 are to:
Host annual Farmer Meet Up in January
Organize and host a field day on a local farm during the growing season highlighting an innovative practice in local sustainable agriculture.
Create a local foods directory for Cook County that shows all commercial production of food in the County. Use this in communications to promote local food producers.
Continue partnership with the Community Center to manage the Grand Marais Farmers Market. Consider creating a vendor advisory board for the market to give guidance on market policies.
Our 2-4 year objectives are to:
Develop a fund to give awards to local producers for education, skill development, or training
Explore and offer support for mentorship/apprenticeship/internship or similar opportunities that would train new and beginning farmers and set them up for success locally
Have staff become a Farmer/Producer Resource Navigator- able to support local producers in finding, qualifying for, and receiving local and regional/state grants, loans, scholarships, trainings, and more.
Explore and develop land access supports for beginning farmers and producers
Want to join us? All are welcome!
Local Food Production work group- first event of the year
January 25th, 10 am-2 pm
Hosting Local Farmers Meet Up
Cook County Community Center conference room
317 W 5th Street, Grand Marais
Local Food Production Work Group contacts:
Nick Wharton- gnfarm@icloud.com
Sarah Waddle- swaddle@umn.edu
Local Food Education Work Group
Our goals for 2024 are to:
Host two educational workshop series- one on planning your garden to feed your family throughout the seasons, and a second on food preservation and storage
Offer cooking demonstrations once per month at the Grand Marais Farmers Market featuring vendor sourced ingredients and take-home recipes
Our 2-4 year objectives are to:
With staffing support, expand educational programming around gardening to local schools and their school gardens
Offer monthly local food skills education both at a community-wide level, and to target groups/populations
Want to join us? All are welcome!
Local food education work group kick-off meeting
January 30th, 10-11 am
Cook County Community Center conference room
317 W 5th Street, Grand Marais
Local Food Education Work Group contacts:
Hartley Newell-Acero- hnew.ace@gmail.com
Carol Bennett- desertgourmet@hotmail.com
Food Processing Work Group:
Our goals for 2024 are to:
Conduct research and community engagement on potential models and funding for shared equipment for food processing (such as animal processing and wild foods) on both commercial and home scales. Present findings to work group and board.
Hold two skill share events on local food processing topics for community learning
Our 2-4 year objectives are to:
Launch shared equipment library of food processing equipment for home users
Launch processing equipment cooperative or other shared use model for local commercial producers
Secure funding and complete feasibility study on food hub concept incorporating shared commercial kitchen space, food shelf, shared equipment storage, office and community root cellar ideas
Want to join us? All are welcome!
Food Processing work group kick-off meeting
February 12th, 6-7 pm
Cook County Community Center conference room
317 W 5th Street, Grand Marais
Local Food Processing Work Group contacts:
Melinda Spinler- bike@boreal.org
Eric Edgin- ghosthillhomestead@gmail.com